Phil Dowd
 | |||
| Full name | Philip Dowd | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
26 January 1963 Staffordshire, England | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| ? – ? | Staffordshire Senior League | Referee | |
| ? – ? | Midland Football Alliance | Referee | |
| 1992–1997 | Football League | Assistant referee | |
| 1997–2001 | Football League | Referee | |
| 2001– | Premier League | Referee | |
Philip "Phil" Dowd (born 26 January 1963)[1] is an English professional football referee who officiates primarily in the Premier League. He is based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, and is a member of the Staffordshire Football Association.
Dowd made his first appearance as an official in the Football League as an assistant referee in 1992. Since he was promoted to the list of Select Group Referees in 2001 he has refereed a number of notable matches, including the finals of the FA Cup, in 2012, and the Football League Cup, in 2010, as well as the FA Community Shield in 2011.
Career
Dowd began refereeing in local leagues in 1984, eventually officiating in the Staffordshire Senior League and Midland Football Alliance. He was appointed to The Football League list of assistant referees in 1992, before joining the League's full list of referees in 1997, aged 34.[1]
He was promoted to the Premier League list in 2001, his first match being a fixture between Fulham and Everton in December of that year.[2] The 2011–12 season is his twelfth year refereeing in the top flight of English football.
In 2006, Dowd was the fourth official at that year's FA Cup final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Later that year he came in for criticism from Wigan Athletic's manager Paul Jewell following his team's 1–1 Premier League draw with Blackburn Rovers. Jewell claimed that "the officials cost us the game", believing that his goalkeeper was fouled in the build-up to Blackburn's late equaliser. Blackburn manager Mark Hughes countered that he felt "the ball was there to be won. The keeper certainly didn't have it under control." Television replays also suggested an Arjan de Zeeuw goal for Wigan should have stood despite the assistant referee flagging for offside.[3][4]
Paul Jewell and Wigan chairman Dave Whelan would censure Dowd again in February 2007 following the club's Premier League match at Arsenal. Dowd denied Wigan, who were leading 1–0, a penalty kick following a challenge by Arsenal's Mathieu Flamini on Emile Heskey. Wigan were playing with ten men at the time (Josip Skoko had left the field for treatment to an injury), and Dowd then did not allow Skoko to return to the field of play as Arsenal attacked. Flamini, who arguably could have been sent off had the penalty for his challenge on Heskey been given, received the ball in an offside position, however, the assistant referee failed to spot the infringement. Flamini then crossed the ball, leading to an own goal by Fitz Hall, bringing Arsenal back onto level terms. Arsenal then went on to win the match 2-1.[5]
On 5 February 2011, Dowd was appointed to a Premier League fixture between Newcastle United and Arsenal, notable for becoming the first game in the league's history in which a team recovered from being 4-0 down to salvage a draw.[6] Dowd was required to interpret a number of key incidents during the course of the second half, with Arsenal having taken a 4-0 lead into half-time. He issued a 50th-minute red card to Arsenal's Abou Diaby for violent conduct towards two Newcastle players following a challenge with Joey Barton. Arsène Wenger said after the match that he "could not argue with [the] red card", but believed Barton should have been punished for the original challenge; Newcastle manager Alan Pardew countered that "the referee's decision was fair. It was an aggressive tackle, that's all." Leon Best incorrectly had a goal ruled offside before scoring to make the scoreline 4-2. Dowd's assistant referee signalled for a Newcastle penalty, their second of the match, which Barton converted for his second penalty. Cheick Tioté then scored an 87th-minute equaliser.[7][8][9]
On 26 December 2011 Wigan Athletic's Conor Sammon was sent off by Dowd during his team's 5-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Wigan appealed the decision and the Football Association rescinded the red card three days later.[10]
Notable matches
2010 League Cup Final
| Aston Villa | 1–2 | Manchester United |
|---|---|---|
Milner  5' (pen.) Collins  11' Downing 18' |
Report | Owen 12' Rooney 74' Evra 41' Vidić 68' |
On 28 February 2010 Dowd refereed the League Cup final between Manchester United and Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium. In the fifth minute of the match, Dowd deemed Manchester United's Nemanja Vidić to have fouled Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor in the penalty area. Whilst Dowd did award Villa a penalty kick, he elected not to punish Vidić; some commentators felt the offence qualified as a professional foul and therefore warranted a red card.[11] United overturned Villa's early penalty to ultimately win the match, and trophy, 2–1.
2011 FA Community Shield
| Manchester City | 2–3 | Manchester United |
|---|---|---|
| Lescott 38' Džeko 45+1'Džeko 19'Richards 22'Y. Touré 34'Milner 55'Kolarov 60' |
Report | Smalling 52' Nani 58', 90+4'Anderson 19'Evra 40' |
Dowd officiated the 2011 FA Community Shield on 7 August 2011 between Manchester City and Manchester United, also the 160th Manchester derby, at London's Wembley Stadium. United won the match 3-2 with a last-minute winner courtesy of Nani. Dowd issued seven yellow cards during the course of the game.
2012 FA Cup Final
| Chelsea | 2–1 | Liverpool |
|---|---|---|
| Ramires 10' Drogba 51'Mikel 36' |
Report | Carroll 63' Agger 44'Suárez 81' |
Dowd refereed the 2012 FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Liverpool, at Wembley Stadium on 5 May 2012. He was assisted by Stuart Burt and Andrew Garratt and Mike Jones was the fourth official. Dowd described his appointment to the Cup final as an "honour and privilege". The fixture took place on the third anniversary of the death of his father, who Dowd said had always hoped to see his son referee a final of the FA Cup.[12]
Card statistics
| Season | Games | Total |
per game |
Total  |
per game
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998/99 | 32 | 125 | 3.91 | 3 | 0.09 |
| 1999/00 | 33 | 85 | 2.58 | 4 | 0.12 |
| 2000/01 | 33 | 120 | 3.64 | 10 | 0.30 |
| 2001/02 | 29 | 109 | 3.76 | 13 | 0.45 |
| 2002/03 | 38 | 130 | 3.42 | 8 | 0.21 |
| 2003/04 | 28 | 104 | 3.71 | 6 | 0.21 |
| 2004/05 | 36 | 115 | 3.19 | 7 | 0.19 |
| 2005/06 | 46 | 183 | 3.98 | 8 | 0.17 |
| 2006/07 | 33 | 99 | 3.00 | 3 | 0.09 |
| 2007/08 | 41 | 113 | 2.75 | 10 | 0.24 |
| 2008/09 | 45 | 148 | 3.28 | 11 | 0.24 |
| 2009/10 | 39 | 135 | 3.46 | 5 | 0.13 |
| 2010/11 | 38 | 139 | 3.66 | 12 | 0.32 |
| 2011/12 | 38 | 137 | 3.61 | 5 | 0.13 |
| 2012/13 | 38 | 130 | 3.42 | 5 | 0.13 |
Statistics for all competitions. No records are available prior to 1998/99.[13]
See also
References
- ^ a b Profile: The Football League Official website.
- ^ http://www.safc.com/page/RefereeProfilesDetails/0,,10281~2080938,00.html
- ^ [1] match report: BBC.co.uk website.
- ^ [2] Daily Mail article.
- ^ Arsenal v. Wigan match report: BBC.co.uk website.
- ^ "FourToon favours the brave". The Sun. London. 7 February 2011.
- ^ Hayward, Paul (6 February 2011). "Joey Barton's maverick inspiration proves just what Newcastle need". The Guardian. London.
- ^ Wilson, Paul (5 February 2011). "Cheik Tioté completes remarkable Newcastle comeback against Arsenal". The Guardian. London.
- ^ "Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal". BBC News. 5 February 2011.
- ^ "Wigan Athletic win appeal over Conor Sammon red card". BBC News. 29 December 2011.
- ^ McNulty, Phil (28 February 2010). "Aston Villa 1–2 Man Utd". BBC. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
- ^ "Phil Dowd to referee FA Cup final". The Daily Telegraph. London. 17 April 2012.
- ^ http://www.soccerbase.com/referees/referee.sd?referee_id=239
External links
- Phil Dowd Profile at Refworld.com
- Phil Dowd Referee Statistics at soccerbase.com
- Phil Dowd on RateTheRef.net